Treasures survived centuries of war

THE two colossal Buddhas had survived the campaigns of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane and, more recently, 20 years of civil war.

Carved into sandstone cliffs in Bamiyan city by Greek artists 1,700 years ago, the statues were among Asia's great archaeological treasures and were once a major tourist attraction.

They are the finest relics of the period before the coming of Islam when Afghanistan was a centre of Buddhist learning and pilgrimage. Paintings nearby are considered unique. Afghanistan was strategically placed to thrive from the Silk Road caravans which criss-crossed the region trading between Europe, China and India. The country is home to thousands of priceless, smaller antiquities.

Before the Taliban came to power in 1996, the Kabul museum was renowned for its collection of more than 6,000 pre-Islamic artefacts. Many have since been stolen or smuggled abroad but an unknown number remain subject to the edicts of the Taliban.